'Is she Black or Indian?': Trump questions Harris's racial identity
Former United States President Donald Trump questioned the racial identity of Vice President Kamala Harris during a heated exchange at the National Association of Black Journalists conference in Chicago on Wednesday. Trump claimed the presumptive Democratic nominee had not emphasized her Asian-American heritage until recently, when, he claimed, "she became a black person." "She was always of Indian heritage...she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn't know she was Black until...years ago when she happened to turn Black," Trump said.
Harris's heritage
"And now she wants to be known as Black. So I don't know, is she Indian or is she Black?" the former United States president questioned. Harris, who identifies as both Black and South Asian American, is the first person of such heritage to serve as vice president in US history. Her dual identity has been a subject of public discussion since her rise to prominence.
White House condemns Trump's remarks
Harris said Trump's remarks were "the same old show" of "divisiveness...and disrespect." "The American people deserve better," she told members of the historically black sorority Sigma Gamma Rho in Houston. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the first black woman to hold this position, responded by saying, "No one has any right to tell someone who they are, how they identify." "She labeled Trump's remarks as "repulsive" and "insulting."
Trump's appearance at NABJ sparks resignation
Trump's appearance at the NABJ conference was part of an effort to attract Black voters. Despite his history of racially charged comments, Trump claimed he had been "the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln." In the 2020 election, 92% of Black voters supported Joe Biden compared to Trump's 8%, according to Pew Research. However, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday showed Harris leading Trump by a narrow margin of just 43%-42%.
